Minutes from the June 12th, 2025 Regular Board Meeting
The meeting of the Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District was held in the Boardroom of the County Government Center.
The meeting was called to order by Nancy Dunnell at 5:05 p.m.
Members present: John Sonstegard, Monica Dohmen, Roger Krause, Frank Sindelir, Nancy Dunnell
Members absent: none
Others present: Land and Water Planning Director, Josh Stromlund; Corryn Trask; NRCS Team Lead, Jody Peek; County Commissioner, Joe Grund; Conservation Corps Intern, Marisa Schmidt
A motion was made by Krause, with a second by Sindelir, to approve the agenda.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
A motion was made by Sindelir, with a second by Krause, to approve the May 9th, 2025 minutes.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
The May 2025 Treasurer’s Report was reviewed.
A motion was made by Sonstegard, with a second by Sindelir, to approve the bills as listed on the agenda.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Supervisor District 3
A motion was made by Dohmen, with a second by Sonstegard, to accept the resignation from Frank Sindelir, District 3 Supervisor, effective June 13th, 2025.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Sindelir has served as board supervisor since 2013. The board expressed their appreciation to Sindelir for his years of service on the Board.
A motion was made by Dohmen, with a second by Krause, to accept nominations for Supervisor District 3 until the close of business July 9th, 2025.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Old Business
Cover crop policy
A motion was made by Dohmen, with a second by Krause, to allow participants to enroll in cover crop cost share under the current 2025 soil health grant for up to three years.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Special Reports
NRCS partner updates – NRCS Team Lead, Jody Peek, presented information on current staffing levels. There is no change to the current staffing in Baudette. She also informed the board that contracts pre-obligated with Inflation Reduction Act funding had been terminated.
New Business
Replenish Petty Cash
A motion was made by Krause, with a second by Sonstegard, to approve replenishing the petty cash account in the amount of $69.63 to bring the total to $100.00.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Dirks LW FMP cost share application
A motion was made by Sindelir, with a second by Dohmen, to approve David Dirks’ Lake of the Woods Watershed Forest Management Plan cost share contract in the amount of $300 + $6.50 per acre, not to exceed 106 acres.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Dirks FMP Cost share payment authorization
A motion was made by Sonstegard, with a second by Krause, to approve David Dirks’ 2025-03 FMP-LW cost share contract final payment in the amount of $846.00.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Safe deposit box authorizations
A motion was made by Dohmen, with a second by Krause, to approve the addition of Jacquelin Becklund and removal of Rebecca Buegler and Russel Hansen on the safe deposit box account at Border Bank. Josh Stromlund, Mike Hirst and Corryn Trask will retain account access.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Patton cover crop cost share application
A motion was made by Dohmen, with a second by Sindelir, to approve Bill Patton’s cover crop cost share application for multi-species cover crops at a rate of $50 per acre, not to exceed 25 acres.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Annual well testing clinic budget
A motion was made by Sindelir, with a second by Krause, to authorize expenses and approve a maximum budget of $2,000 for the annual well testing clinic.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Larson AgBMP loan application
The board reviewed Boyd Larson’s AgBMP low-interest loan application for the purchase of a manure spreader.
Aery AgBMP loan application
The board reviewed Christina Aery’s AgBMP low-interest loan application for a septic system replacement.
Keep It Clean Donation from LOW Whitetails Unlimited Chapter
A motion was made by Sonstegard, with a second by Sindelir, to accept a donation in the amount of $500.00 for the Keep it Clean Program from the Lake of the Woods Whitetails Unlimited Chapter.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
MN DOT Living Snow Fence Agreement and Resolution
A motion was made by Krause, with a second by Sindelir, to approve Agreement No 1058747 with the State of Minnesota and to authorize the purchase of weed suppression mat once signatures are obtained from all parties involved.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Krause made a motion to adopt the following Resolution, the motion was seconded by Sindelir:
LAKE OF THE WOODS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT RESOLUTION #06-12-2025
IT IS RESOLVED that the Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District enter into MnDOT Agreement No. 1058747 with the State of Minnesota, Department of Transportation for the following purposes:
To provide for payment by the State to the Conservation District of the State’s share of the costs of the living snow fence materials to be furnished and installed along Trunk Highway No. 172, in Control Section 3904, from Reference Point 0+00.05 to Reference Point 1+00.0, in Section 36 of Baudette Township at the property of Robert Bosch Corporation; and along Trunk Highway No. 11, in Control Section 3901, from Reference Point 127+00.912 to Reference Point 128+00.204, in Section 36 of Baudette Township at the property of Robert Bosch Corporation.
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors Chair and the District Manager are authorized to execute the Agreement and any amendments to the Agreement.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
County Fair – Keep it Clean Trailer rental space
A motion was made by Sindelir, with a second by Dohmen, to approve renting a space at the Lake of the Woods County Fair for the Keep it Clean trailer.
Affirmative: Sonstegard, Dohmen, Krause, Sindelir, Dunnell Opposed: None Motion carried.
Training and Travel Requests – none
Staff Reports – the board reviewed staff reports as presented with the agenda.
Committee Reports
Area VIII Meeting – the June meeting was the resolution meeting for Area VIII. Resolutions included support of advocating for maintaining enrollment in Sustainable Forest Incentives Act during budget reduction years and simplifying eLink reporting. MASWCD Director, LeAnn Buck, was in attendance at the meeting and provided a legislative update.
LW Control Board Meeting – see attachment to the board packet for a copy of the report. Hirst attended the meeting.
General Information and Discussion
*Tree Sales 2025 report – see attachment to the board packet
*Conservation Corps – 2026 crew/internship application period – staff will be applying for 2 crews and an intern position for 2026.
*County Fair Booth ideas – board suggestions included promoting programs of the SWCD including the AgBMP program, and a raffle drawing.
*National Night Out ideas – staff requested ideas for the August community youth-based event.
*Open meeting law – 2025 legislative changes – supervisors will no longer be required to post their locations as open if attending meetings remotely. They will still need to be able to be seen and heard, along with all members in attendance.
The next regular board meeting has been set for July 10th, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in the Boardroom of the County Government Center.
Adjourn: Sindelir Seconded: Krause
Meeting adjournment time: 7:10 p.m.
Secretary:_________________________________ Date:_____________________